to get a bit depressed at the 'woman beats recession' stories that are about really shit businesses that haven't even started

[Heroine]

I an getting a bit bored of the 'I was made reduntant and now I am starting my own recession beating bead-selling/ironing/wardrobe consultancy/dating agency business that hasn't even started, is doomed to fail and only possible because a) I can pump my large redundancy payout into it and b) because my husband is not redundant, but somehow I providing hope for any women who is not a lazy arse to make a fortune out of 'doing something she loves'

They really are patronising in the extreme and I am sure only there because you can get a nice pretty made-up shot of someone runnning a crap home-made dreamweaver business.

Ihate the way these articles are written as though any daft woman silly enough to work in something as unfeminine as a real job is a silly thing who just isn't as clever as the golddigging sponge and her fantasy business..
oh it makes me fume there are so many at this time of the year... nhmph

I always wonder whether you can use that type of business as a tax avoidance strategy? For instance, if I were to set up a spectacularly unsuccessful cupcake business and DH was bringing in wadges of cash (or, of course, if I brought in the dollars, and DH ran a cupcake business), could I charge my kitchen as a business expense, and then start offsetting my notional losses against DH's profits in some way transferred to me?

Mmm, yes. Well, the tax year is about to close, so if you have a friend with tax software (I use TaxCalc), why not ask for a "go" on the form, to see how much you could save (assuming commercial success and failure in equal measures for ou and your DH!) Could be "fun"!

If ladies want to make cup cakes all day - what harm are they doing anyone?

I set up my own business 6 years ago with £250, had another business with DH that mostly paid the bills at the time. Shut the joint business when I split with the DH 18 months ago.

Now its just me as a single mum running my business, (hate cooking so not a cupcake in sight) sometimes its really scary but there is nothing like its all on me to make sure it continues to work.

What annoys me is that because it is internet based people assume I'm a work at home mum. I don't even work from home!

I think there's a big difference between making some extra money out of your hobby, and running a business which provides you with a living income. That's where some of the disagreements are coming up.

If you make an extra £10 a day out of your hobby, you'd be feeling delighted.

If your only source of income was £60 a week, you'd probably be feeling rather less chuffed.

On the other hand, if you started making money out of your hobby, even a small amount, I can see it might be a massive boost to self-esteem and confidence, and encourage you to think about setting up a business in the future.

ullo Heroine < waves >

You started the 'dull people don't understand creativity and my multi-coloured notebooks' thread, didn't you? About how people in real jobs are... keepin' the creative woman down?

iiiiiinteresting. I think you secretly want to start your own bupcake/stationery business...

Impressive use of The Force, kenobi!

This is not the OP you are looking for, Plupervert...

You may have been using The Force elsewhere, but the above was a neat little Jedi mind-trick nevertheless!

P.S. Your Jedi mind tricks won't work on meeee....

Can't decide if you are BU or not OP (sits on fence). I know the type of article you mean and they make me grit my teeth too.

I would certainly be interested in hearing about women starting up businesses that don't involve baking, making organic baby food or overpriced baby-related products - they must be out there somewhere.

What makes me more mad is the town where I have a business is littered with shops that are run my the wives of rich businessmen and it depends on how much wine they have had the night before as to what time they open said shops, meaning noone frequents this beautiful town 'til lunchtime. lazy bastards!

Barbarian Mum - I started up my own business 5 1/2 years ago as a tutor. I love it and wouldn't want to do anything else. I am single so do not have a hubby bringing in megabucks ( or any other kind of bucks!) I am earning my living at it, but I'm not going on holiday to the Bahamas any time soon!

I'm afraid mine is (literally) a cupcake business. Where I am based there is a big demand for them (and the novelty cakes I make)and the initial outlay was nothing so absolutely risk free in terms of cash.

We as a family couldn't survive on my income alone but I turn down more work than I take on. I could easily do 5 full days a week if I wanted to but I rarely do more than 3 half days per week and I also have periods when I choose not to work at all due to other commitments which is a good balance for me.

Like with any business the key is in the demand and frankly I couldn't care less if peope want to sneer at what I do just because it is deemed to be "cutesy mummy shite" the fact is my weekly profit is about the same as if I did a FT minimum wage job. Which, IMO, is not negated by the fact that DH is the main earner and I don't actually need to earn any more than it would if I did a couple of days a week in an office for some "spending money".

I remember starting a thread some years ago on here about those silly magazine articles in Eve. Then I took She - same thing - cancelled that.

I moved on to Woman & Home and now half the magazine is full of grinning empty-nesters posing in "sassy" trouser suits espousing their great new businesses - usually something like Wardrobe Consultant or Personal Organiser (clutter buster).

i actually think people WILL always want cupcakes. However i don't think they will always want the ' single length of ribbon twisted round a circle of old coathanger' ensemble i'm currently having to try and sell

The thing is I do know women who make some reasonable wedge out of selling hand made soaps, beaded scarves, candles in the shape of food (delete as appropriate).

It never ceases to amaze me how expensive it all is.

If you're not selling it, you're buying it!

The magazines and papers are trying to inspire you!

Think up your own fantasy business story and sell it to a magazine or newspaper. Just about anything sells to a gullible readership. Most of us don't take the stories seriously so have some fun.

Betty you're bang on the money there.
Not a week goes by that I don't get invited to a craft fair, or a charity coffee morning.

I often wonder if I just gave all the sellers a tenner, could I stay home and listen to radio four.

I don't think they do make money - they start off at a reasonable price and then ass they sell fewer items, the prices goes up to recover the losses, and more stock is bought to fill their 'boutique' which a) uses up all hubby's cash and b) doesn't sell either. A heavily stocked fantasy shop with overpriced items is only going one way - down a (willowware themed) crapper..

(Yes, White Company too!)

Oooh, not sure how I feel about a Willowware crapper, Heroine! I take it you mean the Blue Willow pattern, and it sounds appealing, but then I think of the hiding skidmarks, and hesitate...

I would definitely have that for a basin, though!

£290 and its yours.. ! see my website www.fluffybunnyrabbitswithpaisleyhearts.com

(anyway the theme is on the outside only - set = £690)

NancyDrewHasAClue clearly has an actual, functioning, business, in that the profits pay her an hourly wage which is above the minimum wage. Thus, it's a profitable business, and good for her. I don't think anyone's complaining about people running functioning businesses. The issue is that magazines tend to celebrate businesses which don't seem profitable, at the expense of those which are less cutesy, but are actual viable businesses.

Do you have much call for paisley-hearted loo pedestals, Heroine? I am astounded at the breadth of your customer offering. Tell me, is the pattern glazed over, so it doesn't fade when bleach is used?